Students of a Vasantdada Patil Engineering College revolt against principal who set bizarre rules.
More than 2,000 students of Vasantdada Patil Engineering College in Everard Nagar on Sion-Trombay road don’t fall in this category. The principal, K T V Reddy, runs the institute with iron fists, imposing restrictions, ensuring 100 per cent attendance, not even allowing students washroom breaks between lectures.
Recently, 700 students signed a protest letter against the rules, and gave it to their hard-as-nails principal. Students told Mumbai Mirror that they are suffering “bizarre rules” set by Reddy. Some of the rules state: no washroom visits during lectures, 100 per cent attendance (varsity says 75 per cent attendance is suffice), the college gates remain shut till the closing time, conversation strictly in English, students forced to remain in classrooms even when lectures are cancelled, and singing of the national anthem every day, with background music on.
These rules were implemented in June this year, when Reddy took over as principal. Now, the lectures begin at 8 am, and continue till 5 pm, with just one break of about 15 minutes in the afternoon. Abhishek Gujar, a final year student said: “We are totally fed up of these strange rules. Reddy is trying to transport us back to school. He thinks we are only interested in bunking classes.
Many a time, lectures are cancelled because there is not enough teaching staff. Yet, we are forced to waste time inside classrooms.”
Another student added, “Even when the students are unwell, the principal insists they come to college. I was the victim of his whims. Once I vomited in college, and sought a day off. He called me to his chamber and lectured me on regular attendance.
I was shocked.” Students have approached a political party’s students’ wing. One of them said, “These days, even school going kids are not treated like this. The principal has no respect for our intelligence, and has forced his set of rules down our throats. We tried reasoning with him, but he doesn’t listen.
Reddy was adamant that the rules were not out of line. “We only have the students’ good at our heart. And who have problems with these rules? Only those who don’t want to study, they just want to use college as a place to have fun. Those students who want to bunk lectures, they have a problem with our rules.”
When asked why students were not allowed to go to washrooms, Reddy denied such a thing ever happened. “These stories are made up by students who want to disrupt the college. Many of them go out to smoke or consume alcohol. We do stop such students,” he said